MHP leader Bahçeli praises violent attack of AKP MPs in Turkish Parliament
Turkey’s gov’t ally, far-right MHP leader Bahçeli has praised the ruling AKP lawmakers for attacking the opposition lawmakers in an extraordinary session. Two lawmakers were injured in the attack and blood stains were seen on the Parliament floor.
Duvar English
Turkish government-ally, far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli on Aug. 17 praised the violent attack that took place in the Parliament.
The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) lawmakers, led by Alpay Özalan, on Aug. 16 rushed to the rostrum to attack Workers' Party of Turkey (TİP) lawmaker Ahmet Şık during an extraordinary session to discuss jailed Can Atalay's status following the Constitutional Court decision that found the decision to strip his lawmaker status unlawful.
In a social media post, Bahçeli said the AKP lawmakers “did what was necessary without the MHP.”
“They did not allow injustice, lawlessness and thuggery with an admirable stance,” he added.
The MHP lawmakers did not attend the session in protest.
“The political provocation mechanism, which wanted to take Can Atalay, a member of TİP, out of prison and bring him to the Parliament despite the fact that he had a finalized conviction against him, stirred up a mess with all its provocation and conspiracy,” he claimed for Şık’s speech in the Parliament.
He also claimed that the Constitutional Court rulings were “unconstituional.”
Atalay was elected as a TİP lawmaker in the 2023 election, but his lawmaker status was stripped for being convicted in the Gezi Park case despite several Constitutional Court rulings.
During the violent attack of the ruling lawmakers, two opposition lawmakers Gülüstan Koçyiğit and Okan Konuralp, were injured. Meanwhile, blood stains were seen on the Parliament. During the brawl, the ruling party lawmakers gashed Koçyiğit’s eyebrow.
Similar to Bahçeli, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s Chief Advisor Ahmet Selim Köroğlu also praised the violent attack in a social media post.
“This is the Parliament, not a circus, if you insult, you will get your answer. Osman Kavala, Selahattin Demirtaş, and Can Atalay are terrorists,” he praised Özalan.